Fabio Cannavaro signed off as Tianjin Quanjian manager with victory over Guangzhou Evergrande - a club he might return to. AFP

Fabio Cannavaro has resigned as manager of Tianjin Quanjian, the club announced on Monday, just days after steering them to an Asian Champions League berth and with rumours swirling he will return to seven-time Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande.

The Italian World Cup winner, who engineered the club's promotion to the Chinese Super League (CSL) last year and a third-place finish in the top tier this year, will be succeeded by former Portuguese international Paulo Sousa, the club said.

A brief statement by Tianjin said Cannavaro's departure came after "friendly discussions" with the club, which praised the manager for his successful time at the helm.

Neither Tianjin nor Cannavaro gave any immediate indication of his plans, but the 44-year-old Italian, World Player of the Year in 2006, has been linked to a possible move back to Guangzhou Evergrande.

Cannavaro was in charge of Evergrande briefly in 2014/15 and the job is open again after Brazilian manager Luiz Felipe Scolari confirmed at the weekend that he was leaving after wrapping up the club's seventh straight CSL title.

Luiz Felipe Scolari is leaving Guangzhou Evergrande after a successful stint at the club. AFP

"We all came out of this happy: me, Guangzhou, the players, and I hope I didn't disappoint you," he added in a video clip uploaded to Chinese social media.

Scolari did not rule out coaching another Chinese club in future.

"I don't know if I will return to China as a manager. I will start thinking about the future from today. I haven't decided anything. But from now, as I finish up everything with Guangzhou, I will start thinking about my future."

Cannavaro is popular among Tianjin fans due to his winning ways but also his penchant for mischievous posts on Chinese social media that made light-hearted fun of players, such as taking pictures of them sleeping on team buses.

"STAY! DONT LEAVE US! If you must leave, we also wish you [well] and please remember Tianjin fans love you," one fan said on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform.

Another wrote: "Wherever you go, we will continue to bless you. Tianjin Quanjian is established with your wisdom, your perspiration, and your efforts."